Gilraen passes on the Miruvor, “I have slept here and there but I am tapped out of magic, I’m afraid I have been casting more than I am used to and more than I should.”
Ghân’s Detect Magic locates in the middle of the chamber a stone panel that was undetectable before without the Detect Magic. The panel is 3’x6’ and on it now are glowing runes.
Gil-Gandel can see the Runes appear to be a very ancient variant of the runes that are still in use by Dwarves but written in a language closer to that of men. He struggles for a while with it as Hraedsig discovers there is some unknown evil beneath the slab.
Gil-Gandel puzzles out some pieces and Gilraen assists him a bit. They determine it is an ancient human language related to the tongue that early Easterlings spoke, perhaps even the tongue of Uldor and Ulfang. Roughly they decide it is the burial place of an ancient chieftain. It also is a warning; the chieftain was cursed by Morgoth himself, referred to here as the Iron God. Opening this slab could be quite dangerous. The chamber might need to wait or just be collapsed.
Ghân “If Gilraen is out of magic, we should seriously consider giving her a chance to rest.
Opening the stone with our chief cleric tired is surely too risky.”
Thoroncir is deeply concerned for Gilraen. He invites her to sit down and rest, or offers to escort her out of the caves to a safe encampment outside, where she can sleep as much as she needs to.
Given Hraedsig’s sense of unknown evil under the slab, the knight-errant suggests the party wait either until Glorfindel can arrive, or Gilraen can rest and again enjoy her full set of spells, or both. But collapsing the cave might end up being the best approach.
I’ll voice some dissent- simply interring all the problems we come across could be a weak solution in the long run. There may be treasures of significant value buried with the chieftains we’re avoiding, and such things could help us in our attempts to clear the world of such evils of the modern day, and could help such evils if they were to come across these treasures themselves. Besides, I’m sure the Dwarves who eventually resettle this place will appreciate not accidentally triggering such a tomb with their picks and spades. Let’s do this completely.
That said, let’s make sure we have overwhelming force before we try anything.
If we’re pulling out for the evening, let’s make sure to leave these treasures safe from any remaining goblins who might plunder to protect them while we’re gone for the night.
If the goblins opened the tomb, they’d be in for a pretty nasty surprise, I suspect. But they could’ve done so at any time before our arrival and obviously haven’t. We could post a Dwarven guard detachment, I guess, but I doubt that it’s necessary.
I disagree. I don’t think anyone Goblin or otherwise has been in this chamber for a very long time. After all, if you were a Goblin, would you enter a chamber of Wraiths like this?
With the Wraiths gone, somebody might take a peek around although they I guess they won’t find the tomb without a Shaman.
It is far too late to tell how long this place had remained untouched but the Dwarves that opened the doors initially thought it had been a very long time indeed.
The party pulls back for now. The Dwarves have a station much further back and the party is passed through to the main exit.
Gilraen takes her rest. Longer than she planned upon orders of another healer. “She is far too young for the burden she has taken on these last few days”, says the older healer.
The next two days go by with little excitement. The party helps out in a few small endeavors, used to help against harden points and finally Glorfindel arrives to go with the party and the Dwarves back to the slab.
Glorfindel requests that Deor have both a Knock and Wizard Lock ready for the day. Are there any other preparations?
If the Dwarves have set up a field smithy and forge, Thoroncir will ask that his armor be fully repaired, given all the pounding it’s (and he’s) taken recently. He’ll be glad to pay, if necessary.
Having borrowed a great harp from somewhere in the camp of the Elves… this seems to be too much tune for his own twelve-stringed instrument. It’s a quiet evening and Earendil is ablaze near the Western horizon
*Bright shines the Evening Star;
Away beyond the Sea
A strain of harp and tongue in country far
With music calls to me:
A song of dreams and ever-restful sleep
In lands beyond the foam -
A voice to all the lost and all who weep
Calling the Elves home!
Slowly shall flow the tide
And gently blow the gale,
And like a swan my bark shall Westward glide
When I set sail;
Nor shall the empty airless void of space
My homeward faring bar,
But I shall see the Valar face to face
Beyond the Evening Star.*
is quiet for an unusually long time after the last chord hangs on the air and fades away.
Gwaelur, you might have some trouble with my armour, but thanks for the offer.
Mulligan will spend the next two days keeping Gilraen company and making sure Elfstan is recovering well as well as helping out where required. Hopefully Elfstan can join us because I think he will be really useful down there.
Also, if Ghan or Deor are able to, some refills the the injection dagger would not go amiss, I think I have used all my existing doses up.
The only thing I am looking to take down with me is some flour. I think you can guess why. I haven’t got any back since baking bread all those months ago.
